Exploring the effect of government incentives on electric vehicle purchase intention in smart cities

Abstract

The use of electric vehicles is gaining momentum throughout the world. Low-carbon mobility is a core area of focus for sustainable transportation in smart cities. Policy makers and governments in many countries are incentivizing the manufacture, sale, and purchase of low carbon-emitting vehicles such as electric vehicles. Not many studies have focused on the usage of electric vehicles in smart cities from the perspectives of customer behavior and government incentive. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand how the moderator government incentives influence potential customers’ intention to purchase electric vehicles for smart mobility in smart cities. With the help of the theory of planned behavior and various literature, a theoretical model has been developed which is later validated using CB-SEM technique considering responses from 415 potential customers of electric vehicles. This study has demonstrated that subjective norms and personal norms supported by users’ attitude and behavioral control to use EVs could impact on the purchase intention of electric vehicles with active support of the government incentives. This study has proposed a pragmatic framework helpful for the policymakers to motivate the potential purchasers of the smart cities to purchase EVs.